Syrian security forces carried out arrests and set fire to homes yesterday, activists reported, at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan during which a rights group said 473 people were killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 16 people were arrested in Houle, 20 kilometres from Homs, where the authorities sparked anger on Monday as they returned the bodies of 13 people arrested early last month.

The Local Coordination Committees, grouping activists on the ground, said security forces set fire to the homes of two men in Houle and threatened to arrest their wives and children if they did not surrender.

In the village of Aqrab, security forces burned down another house and carried out searches and arrests, terrorising residents at the start of the Eid holidays which follow Ramadan, the committees said.

They said that in Hama province, central Syria, opposition figure Mustafa Rostom was arrested from his home by military intelligence agents who prevented him from taking medicines with him although he has health problems.

There was also no information about prominent activist Omar Habbal who was detained nearly two weeks ago, despite his old age and infirmity.